At some point, you’d think that Jason Bourne would have to rest. Through two movies, he’s been beat up, shot at, and chased by a government that doesn’t want its secrets uncovered. Over the course of The Bourne Ultimatum, the amnesiac superspy jumps continents so often – from Russia to Italy, England to Spain, Morocco to the United States – that it can make an audience member’s head spin. But logging frequent flier miles is nothing for someone in search of a past. The result is two hours of nonstop chase scenes and the very best movie of the series and the summer thus far.

Bourne (Matt Damon) finds his first clues in the writings of a London journalist (Paddy Considine) who uncovers a source willing to talk about Treadstone, the counterterrorism operation that reprogrammed Bourne to become a conscience-free killing machine. Starting with a brilliantly choreographed chase in Waterloo Station, Bourne tries to stay one step ahead of Noah Vosen (David Strathaim), the CIA sub-chief who sends a dizzying array of operatives to kill him.

Director Paul Greengrass, who took the reins of the franchise with The Bourne Supremacy, showcases his exceptional eye for action films. Close-cropped fighting scenes, specifically a music-free jujitsu fight between Bourne and silent operative Desh (Joey Ansah), raise the tension at all the right times in what is already a frenetic movie.

More to Greengrass’ credit is the way he handles a cast of veterans. Damon is better as Bourne than he was in either previous installment, his minimalist style keeping the character’s motivations in check. Joan Allen provides an interesting twist, returning to the series as a CIA manager who has sympathy for Bourne. Strathaim is a brilliant addition to the cast, a cold, calculating malfeasant in the CIA’s upper echelon.

The one misstep in The Bourne Ultimatum is Greengrass’ over-reliance on the handheld camera, which is great during fight sequences but distracts during a few slower moments. But the slower moments are so few and far between in this movie that it does little to detract from what is surely the most exciting movie you’ve seen since, well, the last Bourne movie.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5

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